Time fuse for projectiles



Sept. 20, 1927. 1,642,837

0. BODEN TIME FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed April 30. 1926 igz. KW :4

"holes formed in the rings.

Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

OLIVER BODEN, or BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, AssIGNon TO vIcKEns LIMITED, or

WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

TIME FUSE non PRoJEoTILEs.

Application filed Aprn ao, 1926,- Serial No; 105,656, and in Great Britain May 28, 1925.

This invention relates to time fuses for projectiles, of the kind having two or more time rings provided with annular grooves for thereception of the powder or fuse composition, the products of combustion passing direct to the atmosphere through escape These escape holes are closed by means of metal closing discs or patches which are blown away during the burning of the usual powder pellets appertaining to the powder or fuse compositions of the two rings. It is found that, owing to the high rate of rotation of the shells with which such fuses are used, the closing disc or patch and the powder pellet of the lower time ring or of each of the lower rings (i. e. the ring orrmgs carry ngthe powder or fuse composltlon which is ignited fromthe powder or fuse composition carried by the first or upper ring) are liable to become flung out by centrifugal force with the result that the fuse becomes ineffective, and the chief object of the present invention is to avoid this liability.

According to the present invention the aforesaid closing disc or patch of the lower time ring or of each of the lower time rings is held in place by a retaining member which, whilst permitting the disc or patch to be blown out by the gases generated by the burning of its powder pellet, prevents the said disc or patch and the said powder pellet from being flung out as aforesaid by centrifugal force. This retaining member may consist of a split wire ring, which is sprung into an undercut groove in the recess in the time ring for-the reception of the closing disc or patch, this wire ring bearing against the outer. surface of the said disc or patch near its periphery.

In order that the said mvention may be clearly understood and readlly carried into effect the same will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhichz- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the aforesaid lower time ring provided with a retaining member constructed in accordance with the invention. V

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the right hand part of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 2. A is the aforesaid lower time ring, and A is the annular groove therein for the reception of the" powder or fuse composition. 13 is the powder-pellet appertaining to the said powder or fuse composition. C is the closing patch and D is the retaining device. T his retaining device is 'in the form of a split ring which is circular when the closing patch C is in the form of a disc but which in the example shewn has the shape illustrated in Figure 3 to conform with the shape of the closing patch, and is still referred to as a ring for convenience. The said wire ring D is sprung into an undercut groove (1 formed in the recess in the time ring A for the reception of the patch C, so as to bear against the outer surface of the patch near its periphery and hold the patch in position against the shoulder a of therecess as shewn in Figure 2. In the construction shewn the wire ring D engages on all sides with the undercut groove a, but if desired it may be bent in such a manner that it engages only with opposite sides of the said groove.

In operation the wire ring D retains the closing patch 0 (and the powder pellet B) in position against the action of centrifugal force, but when this powder pellet is ignited the gases generated thereby force the patch out of its recess, the said patch being either blown through the wire ring which is left in posit-ion in its undercut groove a or being blown out together with the wire ring which is forced out of the said groove. The said closing patch may be made of hard metal or of soft metal as desired, and the method of retaining it, as above described, renders it possible to obtain an efficient waterproof joint between the patch and the shoulder a of the recess against which the said patch bears.

The upper time ring (i. e. the time ring carrying the powder or fuse composition that is ignited on shock of discharge) may have a closing disc or patch of usual construction, but if desired this ring may be provided with a retaining member for the disc or patch as above described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a time fuse for projectiles, the combination of a time ring carrying the powder or fuse composition, said time ring having an escape hole for the products of combuspowder pellet, prevents said patch and said powder pellet frombeing flung out by centrifugal force.

2. In a time fuse for projectiles, the combination of a time ring carrying the powder or fuse composition, said time ring havlng an escape hole for the products of combustion, a powder pellet appertaining to said composition, a metal patch closing said hole and a spring retaining membersituated between the periphery of said patch and a part of the time ring for preventing said patch and said powder pellet from being flung out by centrifugal force.

3. In a time. fuse for projectiles, the combination of a time ring carrying the powder or fuse composition, said time ring having an escape hole for the products of combustion, a powder pellet appertaining to said composition, a metal patch closing said hole and a split Wire ring which is sprung into an undercut groove in the recess in the time ring for the reception of saidpatch,said

wirerlng bearing against the outer surface of said patch near-lts periphery to prevent said patch and said powder pellet from being tlung' out by centrifugal force.

0. BODEN. 

